Neagh Problem!

[Andy in Sig]

This sort of training regime worked for me:

Do a 30 mile loop three days a week (should be do-able in the evenings). At the weekend do a 50 miler. Repeat the next week. The subsequent two weeks are the same except that the weekend route is a 60 miler. Carry on with 10 mile fortnightly increases in the weekend run until you have reached 100 miles.

 

[Breedon]

£130 they seen you coming, mine cost me £50-£60 and there Specialized MTB shoes (wider fitting).

And you will fall over trust me lol

 

[QuestionableCarro]

Thank you all very much for the great advice, links for shoes, info on going clipless and the spirited gestures for the ride!

I am just back from doing a nine mile sprint without stopping and feel like I can up the tempo next week. I want to step up to the high teens and then push myself for the 30 as mentioned earlier.
I am relunctant to do too much on the Saracen mountain bike because there is simply too much suspension and I cant get the desired "drive" out of the pedals to maintain a constant speed.
I pick the Marin Larkspur up (cant wait) at the end of June and that is when I will be seriously up the tempo and do 40 miles jaunts at the weekend.
Having went on and on like a hand bell about the lapthelough.org cycle for the last three days, I now have two colleagues down to do it with me on the day and we are going to get sponsorship from as many people as poss for the charity "Build Africa" - a charity scheme to build outbuildings,schools for the kids in the Third World.

So, I have committed myself to the challenge and will be most appreciative if I can get some help along the way guys!

One quick little question: The stock seat in the Marin (with suspension pole) feels quite comfortable, but if I want really good comfort,can anyone recommend a good seat for a long ride?

Any other feedback will be most appreciated!

Ta

QC

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Anything by Brooks such as these Road & MTB saddles

One quick little question: The stock seat in the Marin (with suspension pole) feels quite comfortable, but if I want really good comfort,can anyone recommend a good seat for a long ride?

Any other feedback will be most appreciated!

Ta

QC

 

[QuestionableCarro]

Thanks Angelfishsolo. The reviews alone have me reaching for my wallet

Take it you have one?

 

[Andy in Sig]

I used to have a Marin Larkspur as my commuting bike when I lived in Edinburgh. I upgraded the wheels to lighter ones and fitted a Thudbuster suspension seatpost as I found the aluminium frame to be rock hard. It was a good, fast little bike.

 

[QuestionableCarro]

Andy

Can you tell me a litte bit more about the seatpost - "Thudbuster" where, price etc and the wheels etc?

And what did you think of the Larkspur in terms of performance - where did you take it, mileage etc?

 

[Andy in Sig]

The Thudbuster is made by a firm called Cane Creek and it is not cheap: around 90 quid six years ago. It is however worth its weight in gold as it is based on a deforming trapezoid as opposed to an up and down spring i.e. your position in relation to the frame doesn't get buggered up by bumps. If you get one and eventually sell your bike on, you can put it on your new bike if the frame tube is the right diameter. I think you can get them on the internet but I got mine from Edinburgh Cycles. I really recommend getting one. I also got a new saddle as I simply couldn't get on with the supplied one.

I cannot for the life of me remember the brand name of the wheels I got but they were from a very well known French firm (this is a frustrating tip of tongue job and I shall wake up screaming the name tonight). I wanted to fit narrower, higher pressure tyres to the bike and so got narrower, better quality rims. This really increased the speed and agility of the bike. I built the front wheel around a SON hub dynamo, something which you probably won't need to do for your purposes but it was great for a commuting bike.

In general terms I found the Larkspur to be a cracking little bike for commuting and day tours (I used to regularly do Edinburgh to Glasgow on a weekend). I don't think I would have liked to have done a longer (4 days plus) tour on it because I found the aluminium frame too hard and jarring (hence the thudbuster) in comparison to my steel tourer. Had it been my only bike, I would have fitted top quality suspension forks.

My daily ride to work was about 5 miles and about three lunchtimes a week I would do a 12 mile training loop. All of this involved hills and tight curves and the bike was great for that. If I had to describe it in one word it would be "nifty". I can't remember if it came with a luggage rack or if I bought one but I certainly had one on it for my panniers for the commute.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Only in my dreams . I have had the pleasure of riding a bike with a B17 on it though.

Thanks Angelfishsolo. The reviews alone have me reaching for my wallet

Take it you have one?

 

[Andy in Sig]

The wheels were from Mavic.

 

[marinyork]

But it's totally mad upgrading a lower end bike like the larkspur to have Mavic wheels. I could have done it on mine but it's stark raving mad slapping £70-200 wheels on a bike that costs £300+. In the end I spent the money on a new bike.

 

[Andy in Sig]

The rims didn't cost that much and I made the wheels myself (of which I was very proud). My boss at the time was an absolute bike expert and he agreed with me that the frame was easily good enough to be worthy of the upgrades and most importantly I ended up with exactly the bike I wanted. Bear in mind I was after a fast commuter but without too radical a geometry. The Larkspur had the basic design spot on but I just needed to shove up the quality of two bits of componentry. With hindsight it still makes sense.

 

[Tynan]

all good advice but I did my longest ride of 130miles off a single 50 miler and commutes of 11 miles before that, so I suspect you can step up to that distance ok, prep etc will make it easier naturally

 

[QuestionableCarro]

So I went decided to take on the wind and rain on Sunday (16th) with the view to doing about 16 miles as part of my programme.
I got five miles in and the chain snapped on my mtb

I dont pick up the new bike for another month,so I am going to have to fork out more money for a chain/fitting etc.

Just as well I have an exercise bike- but not as fun eh?

 

[summerdays]

You should be able to fit the chain yourself - even I who can't do lots of things have managed that (the only thing I've done wrong both times is try to fit two similar bits together like male:male coupling rather than male:female - hopefully I'll learn for the next time!!!) And the chain won't cost too much.